One Moment In Time
by Faniela
Summary: The birth of a new life symbolizes many things. It is hope, in a time when hope is rare. It is joy, in a time when happiness is fleeting. It is peace, in a world that is harsh and unforgiving. It is one moment in time when all is right with the world.
1. Prologue: A Slice of Heaven

**One Moment In Time**

_Prologue: A Slice Of Heaven _

Every moment, hundreds of thousands of new lives are born into this world. They are all different, of course, be it in gender, race, features, or even how loud they are crying as they are welcomed into the world. Each of them is unique and special in their own way.

What makes all these children similar, though, is the fact that they all symbolize purity, innocence, hope and a new beginning. No matter what circumstances they are born into, almost every parent will agree that children are to be treasured and loved. For to them, their children are angels sent to Earth by God, bringing with them a slice of Heaven.

This story is a collection of one-shots about the arrival of these angels. Some are happy; others are sad. But there is one thing they all have in common: whoever they are, and whatever may happen, each and every one of the angels is undoubtedly, unquestionably, unconditionally loved.


	2. Love At First Sight: James Sirius Potter

**One Moment In Time**

_Love At First Sight: James Sirius Potter_

Harry used to think that there is no such thing as love at first sight. It had never occurred to him, after all, nor to anyone that he knew of. The closest that he had ever come to love at first sight was his encounter with Cho - though that was more of a crush than love – and just look at how well that had turned out. As far as he knew, his parents had spent the first three years at Hogwarts at each other's throat, before his father finally discovered the existence of girls in his fourth year. As for Ron and Hermione, well, if anyone had told him in their first year that those two were going to end up together, he would have advised that person to have his sanity checked.

As much as he loves Ginny now, and cannot imagine his life without her, he must admit that their first encounter was anything but romantic. Well, if he is honest with himself, Ginny can probably claim love at first sight, but how much of that was for The-Boy-Who-Lived is another matter entirely. Harry himself had certainly not thought much about Ginny until his sixth year.

Besides, he had always found the very concept of love at first sight ludicrous. After all, love is based on so much more than mere appearances, and how can you love someone else without knowing anything about them? Sure, he loves Ginny dearly and finds her the most beautiful woman he had ever met, but it was not her looks that drew him to her, and made him willing to give his life just to make her happy. No, it was her compassion, her passion, her fierce sense of right and wrong, her determination and everything else about her character that made him fall passionately and madly in love with her. It had taken him years to find out all that about her. He couldn't imagine how love at first sight could possibly work out.

Now, though, when the healers put his son into his arms, he knows that he has been proven wrong. As he looks into James' chocolate brown eyes for the first time, he realizes that this baby in front of him will have him wrapped around his little finger. He knows instinctively that there will never be anything more important to him than his happiness. And he knows that no matter who he grows up to be, he will never love him the less for it.

It is a while later before Harry registers that all these realizations had come within a matter of seconds.

Perhaps there is such a thing as love at first sight after all.


	3. Not A Mistake: Teddy Remus Lupin

**One Moment In Time**

_Not A Mistake: Teddy Remus Lupin_

"Do you think-"Dora began hesitantly. Remus looked up from the book he had been reading.

"Yes?"

"Do you think we made a mistake?"

Even though he still had no idea what she was trying to say, he could sense that it was something serious, and so he put his book down on the table after marking the page that he had stopped at, giving Dora his full attention.

"I'm afraid, Dora, that you'll have to be a little more specific than that if you want me to give you a coherent reply," he said mildly.

"I mean," Dora tried again. "I'm referring to our decision to keep the baby."

Remus was honestly surprised. Ever since they had realized that Dora was pregnant, it had always been Remus who had doubts. As happy as both of them had been, Remus couldn't help but question the wisdom of having a child in the middle of a war in which both he and Dora are targets. He had no desire whatsoever to leave his child an orphan, having seen the raw and painful longing in Harry's eyes often enough to not know the loneliness of not having your parents in your life. And he definitely knew enough about the stigma of being a werewolf that he cannot bear the thought of even the slightest chance of passing on his lycanthropy to his child. Through it all, though, it had never occurred to him that Dora might also have doubts, that she, too, might need assurance.

After all, it was Dora who had convinced him that having a child is a good thing. There had never been any recorded cases of lycanthropy that had not been passed on by a werewolf bite, and for their child to have lycanthropy would be to go against almost every known fact and theory about the disease. Besides, Dora had been positively glowing when she had informed him that she was pregnant, and he could not bring himself to discuss the possibility of abortion in face of her obvious delight. If he were to be completely honest with himself, he could not stomach the idea of killing a child, _his_ child, either.

However, all that did not stop him from having doubts, so much that he started to doubt his qualifications of being a father. What was he, after all, but an old, jobless werewolf? It had taken a shouting match with Harry before he had finally realized something. Come what may, his child would want to have his father with him as he grows up. Death had robbed James and Sirius of their chance to be with their son. He would be damned if he threw his chance away too.

He was shook out of his reverie when he realized that Dora was still waiting for his answer. He looked at her and smiled reassuringly.

"No, Dora, I don't think we did."


	4. Miles To Go Before I Sleep: Tom Riddle

**One Moment In Time**

_Miles To Go Before I Sleep: Tom Marvolo Riddle_

Merope sat herself down on the ground with a groan, and tried her best to ignore the pangs of hunger she felt. She had not eaten a proper meal for months now, for Tom had been the sole breadwinner of the household. When Tom left, she had quickly run out of money and was forced out of her house by her landlord. She had been living in the streets ever since, resorting to begging and working odd jobs. It wasn't much though. No one in the Wizarding world wanted to hire a witch with her weak magic, and she could not find a job in a Muggle world either, given her lack of knowledge about them. Just last week, she had to sell her father's locket in order to feed herself.

She tenderly touched her swelling stomach, and smiled when she felt an answering kick. When she had first found out that she was pregnant, she had gone back to the village to look for Tom, only to find him in the arms of another woman. It had hurt her, bitterly. Contrary to what the people in the village might believe, she had not use any magic or potion to seduce him. He had eloped with her willingly, and they had been happy together.

Until he had found out about magic, at least.

When he had caught her at using magic, she was forced to explain everything to him. Instead of taking it in stride like she had hoped, he had accused her of practising black magic, before walking out of their home without once looking back. It was then that Merope realized Tom had never loved her. Not really, or he could never have hurt her like that.

She had known, from the moment he left, that it was over between them, but it had still hurt to see him with another woman so soon. It was the sight of him, laughing and teasing without a care in the world, looking at the woman lovingly like how he used to look at her, that made her come to a resolution. She would raise her child without Tom's help. She may be a Muggle-loving Gaunt who was almost a Squib, but she still had her pride.

There were times, though, when she could not help but wonder if her life was still worth living. She was tired, so very tired. She was weary of waking up each day to the harsh and unforgiving world. Every day was a struggle for survival, made all the more painful by the acute awareness that no one would care if she were to just fall asleep one day and never wake up. It felt as though she was walking a long and tiring road all on her own, with miles ahead of her and the end nowhere in sight. It was only the thought of the new life growing inside of her, so utterly dependent on her, that kept her going. Her unborn child was essentially the only reason for her to wake up each day.

_(Three Months Later)_

"Push harder! Push!"

Merope gritted her teeth and did as she was told, determinedly ignoring the harsh winter wind biting into her exposed skin. A Muggle orphanage might not be the best place to give birth, but it was better than nothing. It was not like any hospital would take her in, penniless as she was.

With one last push, the loud cry of a newborn finally pierced the cold winter air. One of the ladies who were helping her deliver wrapped the child in a towel, while informing her briskly that she had given birth to a healthy baby boy, which was a miracle given how badly Merope herself was suffering from malnutrition. She then carried the boy to Merope's side to allow Merope to look at him.

"He's beautiful," Merope breathed in awe. "Just like his father. I'm glad."

The lady then inquired about her son's name. Merope had yet to decide on a name, but it didn't take long for her to come up with one.

"Tom Marvolo Riddle," she whispered, still feeling weak. "After his father and grandfather." _It's the only tie to his family that I can leave him with, though I pray that_ _he will be able to find the true happiness that none of us could._

However, she did not voice her last thought out loud. She was finding it more and more difficult to concentrate. Dimly, she heard the other lady tending to her cry out in distress.

"Mrs Jenkins, the bleeding won't stop!"

While the two ladies busied themselves trying to stop the flow of blood, Merope felt a sense of peace come over her. Her father was wrong; death was nothing to fear. It was rather like going to bed after a long and weary journey, actually. As the last of her strength left her, he only regret was that she would not be able to watch her son grow up to be the wonderful man she knew he would be.


	5. A Rose By Any Other Name: Hermione Grang

**One Moment In Time**

_A Rose By Any Other Name: Hermione Jean Granger_

"So, what do you think we should call her?" Jean Granger asked her husband as she sat on the sofa beside him, one hand placed on her stomach.

Dan Granger raised an eyebrow in amusement. "So sure that it's a her, eh?"

"Of course," Jean said loftily. She couldn't explain it, but somehow she just knew it was going to be a girl. Dan had never believed in 'feelings', but this time, she knew that she would be the one laughing at the end of the day. "A woman's intuition is never wrong."

Dan chuckled. "Well, what do you think would be a good name for our daughter then?" he asked, clearly humoring her.

"Well," Jean hesitated, not sure if Dan would find her silly. "I was thinking, maybe Rose."

"Rose?" Dan tried to hide his surprise. Pregnant women were notoriously unpredictable, after all, and one never knows what would set her off. Still, Jean had always struck him as being rather un-girly. Even though roses were her favorite flowers, a flower name was still the last thing he had expected her to give their child.

Jean seemed to sense his surprise, though thankfully she retained her calm. "I think Rose has a really nice meaning behind it, don't you think?" she asked. "I mean, it symbolizes love, purity, friendship, virtue, and all the good things on earth. There is no other symbol that is so rich in positive meanings. I think it's a great name."

By the end of her speech, Jean was positively glowing with excitement, so much that Dan hated what he was going to say next.

"I agree. But Jean, love, don't you think that Rose is a little common now? The family two houses down has a girl named Rose, and I believe Christine's niece is called Rose as well? Don't you think that our little girl," if indeed it is a girl, he added to himself silently, "deserve something more unique?"

Jean's face fell dramatically. "Oh, right."

Dan hastened to assure her. "Not that Rose isn't a good name. It's just not the time for it, I guess. And you know what Shakespeare said. 'That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet'. I'm sure she'll be lovely, even without being named Rose."

Jean mulled over that for a moment before coming to a decision. "You're right," she nodded decisively. "About Shakespeare, though…"

Dan had to suppress a groan at the glint in her eyes. He knew that glint. It meant that she had an idea that would either be ingenious or crazy. For the sake of their unborn child, he fervently hoped it was the former.

In another time, another space, a man asked his wife the same question that, unbeknownst to him, had already been asked 25 years ago.

"So, what do you think we should name her?"

His wife replied, smiling contentedly.

"Rose. Rose Weasley."


End file.
